The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: Here is The New York Times holiday gift guide of classical music for 2016

By Jacob Stockinger

The holiday shopping has started with a Black Friday that set records for on-line sales — more than $3 billion or an increase of 11 percent over last year, according to news reports.

And this coming Cyber Monday is supposed to be even bigger, setting more records.

Over the next several weeks, The Ear will feature several holiday gifts guides, including the upcoming Grammy Award nominations and lists of the year’s top recordings from Gramophone magazine, National Public Radio (NPR) and other media outlets.

The Ear will also offer some of his own ideas, although he thinks it is pointless to single out the “best,” given so many choices, and will feature instead things that gave him – and might give you or the recipient – special pleasure.

Anyway, here is the 2016 holiday gift guide for classical music from critics for The New York Times.

Once again, the emphasis is on boxed sets, which have become more widespread and even more of a bargain as streaming becomes increasingly popular. One expensive set features Mozart’s complete works and runs almost $500 – or about only $2 a disc.

The list features tried-and-true classics and also more contemporary music and new music. It seems big on opera and orchestral works especially, but offers precious little chamber music or early music.

The list features CDs, DVDs, books and – The Ear’s favorite – a plea for giving tickets to live concerts or else gift certificates for them.

Read it and decide for yourself how useful it is.

Here is a link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/24/arts/music/gift-ideas-for-classical-music-fans.html?_r=0

If you have gift ideas of your own, or reactions to these suggestions, leave your thoughts in the COMMENT section.

The Ear wants to hear.